My Bio and This Blog's Purpose

Saturday, February 4, 2012

Denver Union Station is undergoing redevelopment that will
allow for the Regional Transit’s FasTracks to utilize the station for light
rail and commuter rail routes.

ColoRail has brought up a number of issues from
the beginning of the DUS redevelopment project. It’s one thing to make the
historic station as a hotel in
order to produce revenue and to draw travelers, but Denver’s leaders and
planners have to look at Kansas City as the example on how not to redevelop an
old train station. As a result, it is imperative that the Mile High City gets it right and doesn’t
end up with a major messon its hands that would diminish its original role.

DC’s DOT and Amtrak getting into a conflict over the
former’s desire to build a streetcar stop at Union Station vs more slots for
future Express HSR service from the latter

Some bus companies wanting to stop in
the parking deck as opposed to the streets around the station

Despite all of these problems, at least something is being
the way of renovation.

What This All Mean

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For both cities, new stations may be built out of necessity
due to redevelopment issues in Denver and overcrowding in Washington, D.C. Both
cities have the chance to avoid this scenario if they just get their
renovations right.